Fun in the Sun!

It was bright and sunny this afternoon, so I told Elka "let's go out back and play!"

Well, I don't need to ask her twice. She grabbed a tennis ball, and away we went.

It's the Meet & Greet Blog party Hop!

My name is Jen.  I saw a blog party going on, and thought I would join in! In college, I majored in Psychology, with a strong interest in other things like Anthropology, Philosophy, and Creative Writing. I'm working as a library clerk, which is a good thing, because I wouldn't be able to afford all of the dog books that I read! My fiance, Jim, and I got our Doberman, Elka, in 2008.  She was born in May, she came home in July, and has been a wonderful facet of our lives since.  I've learned a lot about dogs and about dog training since then, and started this blog as a result.  I also have a Twitter of the same name if you want to hop on over there, @TheElkaAlmanac

What's for dinner?

Elka gets some pretty classy kibble.

Currently, we feed her Taste of the Wild Wetlands formula.  It's grain free, has wholesome-for-dogs ingredients in it, and Elka really really likes it.  Before we got Elka, I didn't really know much about pet food.  I didn't buy what we fed the cats, nor did I research animal nutrition at all.

That isn't to say I've become a nutrition expert, mind you.  Per agreement with the breeder, I use the Whole Dog Journal approved list for my choices, and then head over to Dog Food Analysis to have a further look.  Then I see what's actually available in my area.

A Dog, a Duck, and Destiny

Once upon a time, Elka had a duck.

It was not a real duck, as this is not Disney, so we won't have a heartwarming story about a cross-species friendship pluckily beating the odds in a grand adventure.  No, it was just a stuffed duck.  And it didn't squeak, but rather had a thinger in its neck (yes, that's the technical term) and an attached plastic bag in its belly that made it "quack" rather convincingly when it was squeezed in a particular way.

Anonymous dog opinion, two

Round two of anonymous doggie opinions comes from the illustrious Tufts University Press, and is entitled Best Behavior: Unleashing Your Dog's Instinct to Obey.

Service Dogs: ins and outs

Elka is not a service dog.

A service dog, by definition, performs a service for the owner (or handler, depending on which terminology you want to use) that the individual would otherwise not be able to accomplish on his or her own as a result of a disability. A service dog is hopefully of steady temperament and a good working drive.  A service dog has been extensively trained and behaves appropriately while "on duty".

Here's the ringer, however: is there a nationally recognized certification for service dogs?

Nope.

Tennis Balls: Contestant Number Two

I didn't think to take a "Before" shot of the Zoink! doggie tennis balls.  I did take an action shot, however: